Graffiti-spraying youths killed by tube train

Two suspected graffiti artists killed when they ran into the path of a London underground train were not being pursued by security staff, police said.

The two men ran in front of an oncoming train at Barking tube station, in east London, moments after a gang was seen spraying graffiti.

Police said the two men, aged 19 and 21, ran after being shouted at by security staff who spotted members of the group vandalising trains.

Officers said there were four young people in the gang. A third man, aged 23, was arrested close to the scene of the tragedy.

Chief Superintendent Paul Crowther, of British Transport Police, said inquiries revealed the pair had "not been chased".

He said: "At around 11pm last night two men were struck by a west-bound District Line train just outside Barking station and tragically were killed.

"It appears that they ran into the path of the train having emerged from a nearby depot. The train driver did try to stop but was unable to do so."

Mr Crowther said officers now wanted to establish whether there was a definite link between the vandals and the two dead men.

He said: "What this does show is just how dangerous it is for people to be in these sorts of locations."

The tragedy, which took place at about 11pm last night, involved a westbound train heading towards Ealing Broadway.

Police believe a second moving train, behind the tube that killed the two men, may also have been involved.

Forensic officers are today examining property found at the scene, about half a mile from Barking station.

Describing the incident, a British Transport Police spokesman said the gang were seen vandalising trains.

He said: "The boys were graffitying the trains. There were four boys altogether and they were noticed by security, who called out to them. "Then they ran off and two ran right out in front of an oncoming train."

The 23-year-old will be questioned about the incident at Forest Gate police station today, the spokesman said. The fourth youth escaped.

One witness living in a block of flats opposite the tracks said he saw the two bodies lying next to the railway last night.

John Leitch said he first noticed something unusual when he looked out of his kitchen window and saw a train stopped on the tracks.

He said: "I came out to my kitchen window and saw that there was a train there where normally there isn't one.

"The train moved off and I could see that there were two bodies on the track. They looked like young men."

He said emergency services arrived at the scene but were forced to wait until the power lines were turned off to access the track.

The bodies were moved from the scene at about 6.40am, he said. Mr Leitch said there was a lot of graffiti vandalism around the tracks.

He said: "It's not worth paying that sort of price to spray graffiti. It was absolutely horrendous seeing the bodies right outside your window and especially when you think they are someone's relations that won't be returning home."